Lynden
a "fish hater"
I recently found out how to do this when putting tapwater in the marine tank 
First, you need to find out if your tapwater uses chloramine, a chemical compound comprising chlorine and ammonia, instead of just chlorine. To do this, test for ammonia from water straight from the tap. It should come up with zero.
Then, use a water conditioner that advertises the removal of chloramine and ammonia. Use this generously to a new sample of tap water. Then, test for ammonia again. You should get a reading of at least 2.0 ppm. This is because the conditioner removes the bond between chlorine and ammonia, precipitates the chlorine, and converts the ammonia (NH3-) to ammonium (NH4+), which is non-toxic.
Fill the tank entirely with tap water, and add a double dose of the conditioner ("dose" as in the amount needed to condition the entire tank) . Also, make sure you add bacterial culture in some form. All nitrogenous compounds, after a few hours, should then be present, to a degree of around 2.0 pmm or more (mine came up at almost 7.0) .
The ammonium will remain in this form only in acidic water (never more than pH 8.0). In too alkaline of water, ammonium will change back into ammonia, and become toxic once more.
The good side of this method is that their is no need for a rotting prawn which will make the tank cloudy, and, since the ammonia is so high, bacteria will multiply rapidly to consume it and form a srong bacterial population immediatly, allowing for a higher initial stocking level.
-Lynden
First, you need to find out if your tapwater uses chloramine, a chemical compound comprising chlorine and ammonia, instead of just chlorine. To do this, test for ammonia from water straight from the tap. It should come up with zero.
Then, use a water conditioner that advertises the removal of chloramine and ammonia. Use this generously to a new sample of tap water. Then, test for ammonia again. You should get a reading of at least 2.0 ppm. This is because the conditioner removes the bond between chlorine and ammonia, precipitates the chlorine, and converts the ammonia (NH3-) to ammonium (NH4+), which is non-toxic.
Fill the tank entirely with tap water, and add a double dose of the conditioner ("dose" as in the amount needed to condition the entire tank) . Also, make sure you add bacterial culture in some form. All nitrogenous compounds, after a few hours, should then be present, to a degree of around 2.0 pmm or more (mine came up at almost 7.0) .
The ammonium will remain in this form only in acidic water (never more than pH 8.0). In too alkaline of water, ammonium will change back into ammonia, and become toxic once more.
The good side of this method is that their is no need for a rotting prawn which will make the tank cloudy, and, since the ammonia is so high, bacteria will multiply rapidly to consume it and form a srong bacterial population immediatly, allowing for a higher initial stocking level.
-Lynden
I've used the stuff every time I've started another tank up, and my cycle is complete within a couple of days max.
